If I could tell my 18 year old self,
Stay beautiful not knowing what beauty is
Stay loving your mother when she bring home another school blazer 3 sizes too big.
She's protecting you from the wolves that want your maturing innocence.
Stay naïve to the little things.
Like not knowing what infatuation is
And just being one of the 'mandem' in your adidas and messy braids.
I'd tell her she didn't need that navel piercing
And all that confidence she has, she must never lose,
For 'no' will become the hardest word to say.
Use your humour. Use it to push your beliefs and words into actions.
See those dreams you have? They will turn to visions and when you fill in that UCAS application, don't you dare forget what you're doing it for.
I'd tell her her worst enemies love her more than her closest allies
And that friends will come and go; you aren't growing if you don't lose some.
Stay living for today but do something that makes for a better tomorrow.
Your curiosity is bittersweet.
It will bring you much pleasure but also much pain.
Pain you've never known and will never understand because you weren't ready and it will change you forever so please,
18 year old self,
Speak those dreams into existence.
Focus on your goals baby girl.
These boys ain't going nowhere.
